146 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



demoralize. And it is just in this way that the opera- 

 tions of the Association have such a high practical 

 ■value. They do not come between the landlord, the 

 tenant, or the labourer, with " aught that is dictatorial 

 or of an inquisitorial kind as regards their social rela- 

 tions," but confine themselves simply to the dissem- 

 ination of minute and detailed information, and awaken 

 the attention of those connected with rural affairs to the 

 practical importance of its principles. What those 

 principles are, we have already pointed out; and on such 

 a basis would we heartily rejoice to see similar asso- 

 ciations founded in the principal districts of this 

 country. Although unquestionably behind their English 

 brethren in their notions of household "tidiness" and 



thrifty housewifery, it it a mistaken idea to suppose that 

 amongst the Scottish peasantry only, is to be found that 

 degraded and demoralized domestic condition to which 

 in our various articles we have so frequently alluded. 

 Useful among the glens and hilis of " auld Scotland" 

 as the " Association for promoting Improvement in the 

 Dwellings and Domestic Condition of Agricultural 

 Labourers" undoubtedly is, and although having un- 

 fortunately a field so wide for its labours, no less 

 useful would such an association be amid the vales of 

 " merry England", nor less wide the field in which it 

 might prosecute its labours. Happy indeed would be 

 the condition of our peasantry, if no such labours were 

 demanded from those set over them. R. S. B. 



THETFORD WOOL FAIR. 



This important gathering of the agriculturists of Norfolk 

 and Suffolk took place on Friday, July 10, at the usual place, the 

 Bell Inn, Thetford. The fair was founded many years ago by 

 the father of Norfolk agriculture, the late Earl of Leicester, 

 and the locus in quo was judiciously selected, as it stands ou the 

 boundaries of Norfolk and Suffolk. The chairman is selected 

 alternately from the two counties, and this year Norfolk sup- 

 plied a president in Mr. Anthony Hamond, of Westacre, a 

 gentleman whose services to the agricultural cause, genial 

 humour, and frank straightforward manners have ensured him 

 a wide and well-deserved popularity. The large room at the 

 Bell was well filled, and among the immediate supporters of 

 the chairman were Mr. H. B, Caldwell, Hilborough ; Mr. H. 

 E. Blythe, Burnham; Capt. Caldwell; Mr. H. W. Keary, 

 Holkbam; Mr. Woods, steward to Lord Walsingham ; Mr. 

 W. Bagge, late M.P. for West Norfolk ; Mr. S. Abbott ; Mr. 

 W. P. Salter; Mr. C. Overman, &c. Among the wool-buyets 

 present may be mentioned the names of Messrs. Robertshaw, 

 Bradford; B. Gurney, London; Moyse, King's Lynn; Sber- 

 ringham, Fakeiiham ; Pymar, Norwich ; Higgs, Sudbury ; 

 Thompson, London ; Fawcett ; Everard, &c. 



The chairman offered an example, in proposing the usual 

 loyal and complimentary toasts, which might be followed with 

 advantage in similar meetings. The honourable gentleman 

 was extremely concise in his remarks ou these topics, and his 

 audience were also extremely forbearing, a% they only indulged ' 

 in the course of the sitting in two broadsides of "three times 

 three." At the same time the toast-list was well 1 allasted as 

 usual with "The bishop and clergy of the diocese," "The 

 army and navy, and may their services in times of war be not 

 forgotten in times of peace;" "The members for Norfolk and 

 Suffolk," &c. In proposing the health of the "Prince Con- 

 sort," the chairman referred to the speech delivered by his 

 Royal Highness at the resent educational conference. The 

 sentiments expressed by Prince Albert on that occasion were 

 echoed by all employers of labour ; hut there were great dif- 

 ficulties connected with the subject. How, for instance, were 

 parents to be supplied with the wages now earned by their 

 children, and how was the labour now supplied by young 

 hands to be made good ? If England was to prosper as an 

 agricultural country, the farmers must get rid of their weeds, 

 they must have the assistance of the smaller hands, and a 

 prosperous and contented class of labourers. If the wages of 



the children of the latter were to he abstracted, he did not sec 

 how they would get on; and if young labour was to be taken 

 from the farmers, he did not see how they were to keep their 

 fields clear from poppies and rubbish (Hear). lu approaching 

 the business of the evening, Mr. Hamond noticed the anima- 

 tion with which the collectors of wool were driving about the 

 country with the view of making purchases. Formerly the 

 farmers went to the wool-buyers and asked them to purchase 

 their wool; but the tables were now turned, and he had 

 actually seen two or three buyers canvassing the farmers as 

 actively as possible. This was an extremely favourable 

 symptom, and he would call upon Mr. Keary to "open the 

 ball," as usual, by offering Lord Leicester's wool. 



Mr. Keary said he thought he might congratulate the 

 wool-growers ou very good prospects indeed. At some meet- 

 ings there bad been great difficulty in ascertaining the value 

 of wool, as there was great difference of opiuion between the 

 buyers and the growers. Ou the present occasion, however, 

 there seemed to be no difference at all. As the chairman had 

 remarked, the wool collectors were driving furiously about the 

 country buying wool in all directions ; and, if reference were 

 made to the sales which had already taken pl^ce, it would be 

 found that au increase of Ss. or 6s. per tod had been realized 

 at every market. There were several reasons, into which it 

 was not necessary for him to enter, why wool had thus risen 

 in price. The scarceness of cotton and silk had probably 

 something to do with it. At any rate wool was eagerly 

 sought for, and such being the case he thought he might 

 fairly ask a higher price than was given in the room last year. 

 He had no hesitation, in offering Lord Leicester's wool to Mr. 

 Sherringham, in saying that it was of the first quality and 

 that it had been fairly treated. The quantity was 65 tods 

 of ewe, 75 tods of Down hogg, 40 tods of Down half-bred — 

 all bred upon the Ilolkham estate — and 100 tods of bought 

 wool. He would offer it to Mr. Sherringham at 48s. per tod 

 all round. 



Mr. Sherringham said the wool was in the best possible 

 state, and as he never had occasion to repent his previous 

 bargains with Mr. Keary, he accepted his offer (Cheers). 



Mr. Bagge, in complimentary terms, proposed the health 

 of the chairman, which was drunk with three times three. 



The Chairman, in responding, said the fair was a peculiar 

 hobby of the late venerable Earl of Leicester, and it was no 



